Long Island wins second consecutive Atlantic League title
(Bridgewater, N.J., Sept. 29, 2013) – The Long Island Ducks defeated the Somerset Patriots 6-4 on Sunday night at TD Bank Ballpark in Game Five of the Atlantic League Championship Series. The Ducks win the best-of-five series three games to two and are the 2013 Atlantic League Champions!
GAME VIDEO: Play-by-play call of the final out of the Atlantic League Championship Series
GAME VIDEO: The final out of the Championship Series and celebration on the field
GAME AUDIO: Highlights from the Ducks’ championship-clinching victory
POSTGAME VIDEO: Footage from the champagne celebration in the clubhouse
GAME PHOTOS: Check out a Facebook photo from Long Island’s championship-clinching win
CLICK HERE to read a Game Five recap article, courtesy of Newsday
CLICK HERE to view a photo gallery from the Championship Series, courtesy of Newsday
CLICK HERE to watch Game Five highlights and postgame sound from News 12
CLICK HERE to watch a Game Five story from Verizon FiOS 1 News
Somerset opened the scoring with a Yunesky Sanchez RBI double in the first inning off Ducks starter John Brownell. Long Island answered back to take the lead in the fourth inning with four runs off Somerset starter David Harden. Ramon Castro hit a RBI single, and Ray Navarrete smacked a three-run home run to left field to do the damage.
Somerset grabbed a run back with a Yunesky Sanchez solo homer to left in the bottom of the fourth, but Long Island responded with two in the fifth on a Bryant Nelson double to right field and an Adam Bailey RBI single to center. The Patriots crept within two on Jeff Baisley’s homer in the sixth and Jorge Cortes’ sac fly in the ninth. However, Leo Rosales got Jonny Tucker to fly out to right to clinch the Championship.
Brownell (3-0) picked up the win, tossing eight innings, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out three. For his efforts in Games One and Five, he was named Championship Series MVP. Harden (0-1) took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits in four and one-third innings. Leo Rosales pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save of the playoffs.
Nelson and Lew Ford led the Ducks with three hits apiece, and Navarrete drove in three runs.
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Duck Tales: This is the third Atlantic League Championship in franchise history and second consecutive Atlantic League title. The Ducks won their first Championship in 2004 with a three-game sweep of the Camden Riversharks and won their second in 2012 with a 3-2 series victory over the Lancaster Barnstormers. The Ducks have now won the second-most Championships in Atlantic League history behind Somerset’s five titles…Long Island has now won three consecutive Game Fives. The Ducks defeated Lancaster 5-4 in Game Five of the 2012 Atlantic League Championship Series and topped Southern Maryland 5-4 in Game Five of the 2012 Liberty Division Championship Series. Long Island is now 3-1 all-time in Game Five of a postseason series…John Brownell was named Championship Series MVP after winning both Game One and Game Five of the series. In the ALCS, the right-hander was 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA and struck out nine batters in 16 innings. For the playoffs, the righty won all three games he pitched and compiled a 2.88 ERA…Lew Ford earned a hit in all five games of the Championship Series and finished the series with a .417 batting average (10-for-24). For the playoffs, the former big leaguer had at least one hit in all seven games he played and batted .412 (14-for-34) with one double, one homer, two RBI and three runs.
GAME DATE: 09/29/2013 Long Island Ducks 6 AT Somerset Patriots 4 YTD YTD L Island AB R H BI AVG Somerset AB R H BI AVG L.Ford CF 4 1 3 0 .412 J.Tucker CF 4 1 0 0 .114 J.Barfield 2B 3 0 0 0 .182 A.Eggleston LF 3 0 0 0 .188 B.Nelson 3B 5 1 3 1 .278 Y.Sanchez 2B,3B 4 1 2 2 .351 B.Hall LF 4 1 2 0 .290 C.Aldridge RF 3 0 0 0 .419 K.Binick LF,PR 0 0 0 0 .269 J.Baisley 1B 4 1 1 1 .276 A.Bailey RF 5 0 1 1 .194 C.Smith 3B 2 0 0 0 .156 R.Castro C 4 1 2 1 .211 B.Stevens 2B 0 1 0 0 .000 R.Strieby 1B 3 1 2 0 .387 E.Martinez-Este DH 4 0 1 0 .304 R.Navarrete DH 4 1 1 3 .125 A.Sanchez SS 4 0 1 0 .258 D.Lyons SS 4 0 1 0 .286 A.Donachie C 3 0 1 0 .125 J.Cortes PH 0 0 0 1 .000 36 6 15 6 31 4 6 4 L Island 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0 - 6 15 0 Somerset 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 - 4 6 1 2B--B.Nelson (1), B.Hall 2 (5), Y.Sanchez (3). HR--R.Navarrete (1), Y.Sanchez (2), J.Baisley (2). RBI--B.Nelson (4), A.Bailey (4), R.Castro (4), R.Navarrete 3 (3), Y.Sanchez 2 (3), J.Baisley (5), J.Cortes (2). SF--J.Cortes (1). SH--J.Barfield 2 (0), A.Eggleston (0). E--C.Smith (3). LOB--L Island 8, Somerset 6. DP--Y. Sanchez(3B) - B. Stevens(2B) - J. Baisley(1B), Y. Sanchez(3B) - A. Donachie(C) - J. Baisley(1B), Y. Sanchez(2B) - A. Sanchez(SS) - J. Baisley(1B). YTD IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA L Island J.Brownell (W,3-0) 8.0 5 4 4 4 3 2 2.88 L.Rosales (S,4) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1.80 9 6 4 4 4 3 2 Somerset D.Harden (L,1-1) 4.1 7 6 6 1 0 1 6.55 J.Lowey 4.0 7 0 0 1 4 0 0.90 J.Torres 0.2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.00 9 15 6 6 3 4 1 WP--L.Rosales (1), D.Harden 2 (2). SO--B.Hall, R.Strieby, R.Navarrete 2, A.Eggleston, J.Baisley, A.Sanchez. BB--L.Ford, K.Binick, R.Strieby, J.Tucker, C.Aldridge, C.Smith, B.Stevens. BF--J.Brownell 33 (97), L.Rosales 4 (22), D.Harden 21 (48), J.Lowey 17 (39), J.Torres 3 (10). P-S--J.Brownell 105-66, L.Rosales 19-12, D.Harden 72-49, J.Lowey 55-37, J.Torres 11-3. T--2:53. A--4839 Game 5, ALPB Championship Series, 2013 Weather: PERFECT! Umpires: Plate Ump - Marty Bauer, Field Ump #1 - Chase Edmondson, Field Ump #2 - Matt Hensel, Field Ump #3 - Matt Beaver